These 7 Dinner Time Hacks Will Save You From Spending Your Precious Time Cleaning

Not only will this hack keep your freezer organized, but it also lends itself to a superspeedy cleanup. Just defrost, heat, and toss the bag without having to worry about washing dirty containers after the meal is served.

Take advantage of any downtime while your meal is cooking to empty the dishwasher. If you make a point to have things unloaded before you eat, your postmeal cleanup will not only be much faster, but it will also be easier for kiddos to lend a helping hand.

If you didn't think it was possible for slow-cooker meals to get even easier, try making them with a disposable liner. These one-pot wonders now involve virtually no cleaning!

Whether you're trying a one-pan, one-pot, or one-skillet recipe, confining the mess to only one area will make washing up a breeze. Who knew you could make all the different elements for a complete meal using just one pan?

If you're already cooking, prep enough for extra meals and freeze the prepared ingredients. This way, you'll get the most out of the mess you’re already making and won't have to clean after the next few meals. Plus, since you're defrosting raw dinners, everything will still taste fresh because you're cooking it up for the first time.

Not only are the recipes surprisingly diverse when it comes to tinfoil dinners, but they also leave you with extra time in the evenings since you won't be stuck scrubbing pots and pans.

Although you might want to leave the dirty work until after you're fed, get your pots and pans soaking in the sink before you eat. This will keep things from getting caked on and will save you from dealing with scrubbing dirty surfaces.